Tree holder



5m. 23, 1936. F. P. MCCANN 2,29,281

TREE HOLDER Filed Nov. 50, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3-0 $6 .30 /8 T 3 a; TI 137 36 35 f) I z; r 4g 32;. I r L I 2,

Patented Jan. 28, 1936 TREE HOLDER Frank P. McCann, Seattle, Wash.

Application November 30, 1934, Serial No. 755,471

3 Ciaims.

My present invention relates to that class of devices intended for thepurpose of keeping, in an upright position flags, staffs, trees andother decorative material. Its greatest use is probably that of a treeholder.

My present device is intended for mounting on a horizontal surface andto so securely grip a vertical pole or tree as to hold it in theposition desired. It may be used to hold flags in windy weather,particularly, and lends itself particularly well to supporting, andholding in position Christmas trees, also tent poles, when used on hardsurfaces. Quite a number of tree holders have been created but it is thepurpose of my present invention to provide a secure anchoring meanswhich can be readily adjusted to suit trees of varying sizes and, whenfully secured, will hold the tree in an upright position with certainty.Another object of my present invention is to provide means which willenable even an inexperienced person to secure a tree in the desiredposition, and after the period of use, will permit the removal of thetree with the minimum effort.

Other and more specific objects will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, whereinFigure 1 is a side elevation of my device as it would appear whensupporting a tree and secured to a sub-base.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of my device.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Figure2.

Figure 5 is a bracketed, exploded view showing the various parts formingmy tree support.

Referring to the drawings, throughout which like reference charactersindicate like parts, 6 designates the main body of my device. This Inormally prefer to form as a casting so as to easily provide theirregular shape required and to give a secure and substantial foundationfor my support. This member is provided with a vertically extending tubeportion 1 and a securing flange 8. This flange is intended for easysecuring of my device to a sub-foundation ID, as by screw fastening thesame thereto after the showing of Figure 4. The sub-base l0 should be ofample proporticns to provide against overturning of the device. Ihelower portion of body 6 is provided with a tree receiving opening ll ofa size somewhat reduced from the interior bore of tube 1, followinggenerally the proportions shown in Figure 4.

One portion of tube 1 is cut away to provide an opening into which doorM normally is secured. This door is suitably supported from tube 1 byoutstanding lugs l5 and I6 which provide for the pivot pin I8, whichalso passes through lug 29 formed as part of door It. The opposite edgeof door it is provided with an outstanding and bifurcated lug 22 whichis adapted to receive the hinged eye-bolt 23 which, in turn, is providedwith wing nut 24. Eye-bolt 23 is pivotably supported on pin 26 in thebifurcated outstanding lug 23 formed as an integral part of tube 7. Pinsi8 and 26 are provided with wing nut as 39 and 3! and each have, inaddition to providing pivots as outlined, a secondary purpose of holdingand securing the tree gripping, jaw members 32 and 33. These members areprobably best shown in Figures 2 and 5. Both members are provided with aplurality of teeth as 35 on their inner surface and, as a matter ofconvenience, are arcuate in shape. Member 32 is provided with parallelslots 36 ad 31 which are arranged after the showing of Figures 2 and 5,so that the jaw may be moved toward or away from the tree. Jaw 33 isprovided with similar slots as 38 and 39 excepting that slot 39 is,preferably open ended. With the open end of slot 39 it is possible topivot jaw member 33 about pivot pin l8. This is a great convenience inplacing the tree in the holder and removing the same.

Method of operation The first operation is to trim down the end of thetree 40 after the showing of Figure 4 until the end of the tree will fitsecurely into opening l2. The tree should then be trued up so that itstands in the desired position and, while it is held in that position,jaws 32 and 33 should be pressed firmly against the opposite sides ofthe tree and the securing wing nuts 39 and 3| tightened. Due to thelength of slots 36, 31, 38 and 39 it does not necessarily follow thatthe tree need be in the center of tube 1. This is a very desirablecharacteristic of my present device, in that it permits my device tohold in the desired position a tree which may not be true or straight atits base.

When it is desired to remove the tree, wing nuts 36 and 3| are loosenedso that the jaw members can be swung away from the tree. Jaw member 33should preferably be pivoted about pin l8 until it is entirely clear. Ifthe tree has been pressed into opening l2 with considerable force, itmay be difficult after the tree has set for some time to lift it fromthe holder. In such cases it is best to swing jaw 33 out of the way,then to release wing nut 24 so that door l4 may be opened. This enablesone to pull the tree over towards the opening and thus free it veryeasily from the holder. This is a matter of great convenience.

The foregoing description and the accompanying drawings are believed toclearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will beunderstood that this disclosure is merely illustrative and that suchchanges in the invention may be made as are fairly within the scope andI spirit of the following claims:

1. The combination with a tubular tree-holder having a reducedbottom-socket to receive the end of a tree, and a pair of spaced uprightbolts projecting above its upper edge, of a pair of opposed, arcuate,slotted-jaws mounted on said bolts, one of said jaws having an open-endslot and adapted to form a pivot at its other slotted 3. The combinationwith a tree holder having 10 a side-gate, a hinge bolt for the gate, anda fastening bolt for the free edge of the gate, of a pair of adjustable,opposed, arcuate, slotted jaws mounted on said bolts, one of said jawshaving an open slot at one end and adapted to pivot at its other end ona bolt, and nuts on the bolts for clamping the jaws in engagement with atree.

FRANK P. MCCANN.

